(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for industrially producing D-(-)-tartaric acid.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
A process for producing biochemically D(-)-tartaric acid comprising cultivating the genus Aerobacter in DL-tartaric acid and obtaining D-(-)-tartaric acid from the culture broth, has been already known (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 24490/1975).
However, in the prior art, the yield of D-(-)-tartaric acid is low (at most 88%), and the cultivating time is long (33 hours or more). Moreover, the concentration of DL-tartaric acid, which is a raw material to be added in the cultivating medium, is low (4%). Therefore, the prior art is not an industrially favorable process.